My Fiancé Went Back to His First Love—So I Married Her Billionaire Fiancé Instead
Chapter 2
Emily almost deleted the email.
Almost.
But curiosity won.
The next afternoon, she entered the lobby of the Blackwell Tower.
It was the kind of building where everyone looked important.
Emily felt out of place.
She had worked for a mid-sized publishing company for six years.
Her life had been normal.
Quiet.
Predictable.
Alexander Blackwell’s world was neither.
A receptionist escorted her to the top floor.
The elevator doors opened.
Alexander stood by the window.
Emily had seen photographs of him before.
They hadn’t prepared her.
He was taller than she expected.
Dark hair.
Sharp features.
Calm blue eyes.
He wore a black suit without a tie.
There was nothing flashy about him.
He simply looked powerful.
He turned when she entered.
“Emily Carter?”
“Yes.”
“Alexander Blackwell.”
“I know.”
A faint smile appeared.
“Of course.”
He gestured toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Emily sat.
Alexander remained standing.
“I assume Jacob told you about Victoria.”
“He did.”
“And she told me about Jacob.”
Emily’s eyebrows rose.
“She told you?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly?”
Alexander’s expression hardened.
“That she had been unhappy with me for months.”
Emily almost laughed.
“That sounds familiar.”
Alexander nodded.
“I thought so.”
Silence.
Emily studied him.
“Why did you contact me?”
“Because I think they planned this.”
Her expression changed.
“Planned what?”
“Their reunion.”
Emily stared.
“You think Victoria came back into Jacob’s life intentionally?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then how do you know?”
Alexander sat across from her.
“Because Victoria never returned to the country randomly.”
“What does that mean?”
“She came back because someone invited her.”
Emily frowned.
“Who?”
Alexander leaned back.
“That is what I’m trying to find out.”
Emily thought about Jacob.
“He looked genuinely confused.”
“Jacob is loyal.”
“He is.”
“That’s why Victoria chose him.”
Emily didn’t understand.
“You think she wanted Jacob?”
“I think she wanted something Jacob had access to.”
“What?”
Alexander’s expression turned cold.
“I don’t know yet.”
Then he opened a folder.
Inside were photographs.
Victoria.
Jacob.
Old family pictures.
Business meetings.
Travel records.
Emily studied them.
“This is private.”
“I had it investigated.”
“Why?”
“Because three weeks ago, someone attempted to access one of my private accounts.”
Emily looked up.
“Victoria?”
“I don’t know.”
Then Alexander showed her another photograph.
Victoria standing beside a man Emily didn’t recognize.
“Who is he?”
“Daniel Ross.”
“And?”
“He’s been involved in financial fraud.”
Emily looked at Alexander.
“You think Victoria knows him?”
“I think she knows more than she told me.”
Emily sat back.
“This is insane.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you telling me?”
Alexander looked directly at her.
“Because Jacob left you for her.”
“And?”
“You’re angry.”
Emily laughed.
“Very.”
“You have no reason to protect her.”
Emily crossed her arms.
“What are you suggesting?”
“I need someone close enough to Jacob to find out what Victoria is doing.”
Emily stared.
“You want me to spy on my ex-fiancé?”
“I want you to find the truth.”
She stood.
“No.”
Alexander didn’t react.
“I understand.”
Emily walked toward the door.
Then he said:
“Victoria is not the biggest problem.”
Emily stopped.
“What do you mean?”
Alexander looked at the photographs.
“Someone has been moving money through companies connected to my family.”
“And you think Victoria is involved?”
“I think Jacob may be involved without knowing it.”
Emily turned.
“Jacob would never steal.”
“Maybe.”
That uncertainty hit her.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
Alexander stood.
“Nothing.”
He walked toward her.
“Not yet.”
Emily stared at him.
He opened the door.
“You came here because you wanted answers.”
She looked at him.
“So did I.”
Then he said something she never expected.
“If our former partners are determined to destroy our lives, perhaps we should make sure they regret leaving us.”
Emily walked out without answering.
But when she reached the elevator, she realized something.
For the first time since Jacob left her, she wasn’t thinking about Jacob.
She was thinking about Alexander.
And about the possibility that the breakup wasn’t random.
